Best places to go diving in Thailand

There is no denying that Thailand is one of the world’s best destinations for scuba diving. After all, it has over 1400 islands, there are bound to be hundreds of amazing dive sites that are steeped in natural beauty and magnificent marine life.

Every island is unique and offers different experiences for diving enthusiasts. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, Thailand is a wonderful place to learn or test your diving skills.

So, let’s find out which Thailand diving destination fits your style and needs the most.

Koh Tao

Having the reputation as being one of the best destinations for dive certifications, many people like to visit Koh Tao for diving. Whether you are a beginner or want to upgrade your diving skills, there are plenty of great and inexpensive diving schools on Koh Tao where you can do that.

There are also some really beautiful dive sites around the island where you can have the opportunity to see incredible marine life. There have been sightings of whale sharks, turtles, and all kinds of fish species.

One of the best dive spots is known as Sail Rock or Hin Bai, which is about a 90 minute journey from Koh Tao. It might be a bit far out but it is certainly worth the trip as you will get to see amazing marine life in clear blue waters.

Phuket

You might not believe it but the waters around Phuket are pretty decent for diving. Being such a tourist destination, it offers a lot of options for diving, no matter if you are a beginner or an expert.

You will find plenty of dive resorts and liveaboards (boats that are specifically made for diving) that have excellent dive packages and retreats.

Apart from a plethora of marine life around Phuket, there are also other unique diving experiences to have here. There are caverns, caves, and even ship wreck dive sites that make for very interesting and challenging dives. The most famous shipwreck spot is the King Cruiser Wreck.

If sharks and giant marine life are your thing, book a diving tour to shark point where you might have the chance to see leopard and bamboo sharks as well as colorful tropical fish and vivid corals.

Phuket is also a great stepping off point to plenty of other diving sites and islands nearby such as Phi Phi islands.

Phi Phi islands

The Phi Phi archipelago is a spectacular place for snorkeling and diving with its postcard-worthy views, impressive rock formations and clear blue-turquoise waters that is home to a exotic species of marine life.

Tourists, expats and Thais love to visit Phi Phi to test their diving skills in hope to see the elusive leopard shark, whale sharks and manta rays. Vivid corals and interesting rock formations are another reason divers like to visit Phi Phi.

There are dive spots for both beginners and advanced divers.

Koh Lipe

If you want to see the most picturesque island waters with vibrant and fascinating coral life, there are plenty of amazing dive sites near Koh Lipe and the Tarutao National Park.

Some famous diving spots include Stonehenge, 8 mile rock, and Pattaya Corner. You will find all sorts of macro marine life in these areas such as seahorses, turtles, ghost pipefish, stonefish, schools of barracudas, and yellow snappers. If you are lucky, you may encounter larger creatures like whale sharks, dolphins, and manta rays.

There are also dozens of other great places to dive at both near and far islands from Koh Lipe.

Similan islands

Ask any diver and most will tell you that the Similan archipelago is the best place to go diving in Thailand. The ocean around the islands is home to some of the most amazing marine flora and fauna.

Easy diving conditions, clear waters, and marine life of all shapes and sizes makes Similan Islands favorite for many.

While spotting whale sharks and manta rays is quite rare, Similan islands is still a great diving destination to see several other marine life such as different kinds of shark species, turtles, moray eels, and giant fishes.